Rep. Connie Howard retires after her state grants were subpoenaed

A South Side lawmaker who helped found an AIDS awareness organization that attracted the interest of federal prosecutors has quietly resigned.

Democratic Rep. Connie Howard stepped down from the Illinois House effective July 9. She cited "personal reasons" in a July 6 letter she sent to House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago.

Howard, 69, who had held office since 1995, announced last year that she would not seek re-election.

The resignation came less than two weeks before authorities arrested seven people after an FBI sting in which they paid kickbacks in the hope of securing thousands of dollars in federal grants, according to federal charges. Howard could not be reached for comment Monday or Tuesday.

In recent years, prosecutors have issued multiple subpoenas centered on grants issued by several South Side and West Side lawmakers.

Two subpoenas issued in 2009 requested documents from the state relating to grants received by the Let's Talk, Let's Test Foundation, a now-defunct AIDS awareness group co-founded by Howard, who also served as the organization's board chairwoman.

The subpoenas went to the Illinois Department of Public Health, which had given the group a $1.2 million grant in 2007, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which gave the foundation a separate $500,000 grant in 2007.

Through its grant monitoring process, the economic development agency found that Let's Talk, Let's Test failed to meet several requirements, including failure to supply adequate financial records and failure to provide evidence supporting expenditures, an agency spokeswoman said.

Both agencies sought to recoup those grant payments through legal action taken by Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office. The foundation eventually was ordered to repay more than $1 million, but the only assets found were real estate purchased using state money. The city has since filed a demolition lien on the property, so it is unlikely the state will recover the money, said Natalie Bauer, spokeswoman for Madigan's office, on Tuesday.

In August 2010, federal prosecutors armed with grand jury subpoenas sought state agency records dealing with more than 50 individuals and nearly 40 entities. Among them were groups that won grants for after-school and job-training programs, including several that were part of a 2008 Tribune investigation into then-state Sen. Rickey Hendon's sponsorship of after-school grants.

Hendon's former campaign treasurer and two people who were highlighted as part of the after-school grants stories were among the seven arrested and charged last week in the case involving federal social service grants.

Democratic bosses will get to appoint Howard's replacement, led by Ald. Roderick Sawyer, who also is the 6th Ward committeeman.

Elgie Sims, the Democratic nominee to succeed Howard, said he has told party officials he "absolutely" is interested in the appointment. Sims said he did not know why Howard stepped down before the end of her term but said she had mentioned that she wanted to get started with her retirement.